La Paz, Bolivia, Feb 28: A cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff on Friday near Bolivia’s capital, leaving at least 15 people dead and damaging multiple vehicles on a nearby highway, officials reported.
Fire Chief Pavel Tovar did not confirm whether the fatalities occurred on the aircraft or in the vehicles along the road near the airport.
According to social media footage, the plane skidded off the runway in the city of El Alto, which borders La Paz, striking several cars before coming to rest in a nearby field. Debris, damaged vehicles, and bodies were scattered across the area, with Tovar confirming involvement of at least 15 cars. Firefighters quickly brought the flames under control.
The aircraft, a Bolivian Air Force Hercules, was transporting newly printed banknotes from the Central Bank to other cities. Large amounts of money spilled onto the surrounding area, prompting hundreds of people to rush in and collect the bills. Police had to intervene in riot gear to control the crowd.
All flights to and from the airport were temporarily suspended following the accident.